PM Modi to Inaugurate Global AI Gathering at Bharat Mandapam; Leaders Hail India’s Growing Role in Shaping Sovereign AI
Bengaluru, NFAPost: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrived in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, ahead of attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which opens today in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to inaugurate the event.
The summit, being held from February 16 to 20, marks a landmark moment for India as it hosts the first global AI summit in the Global South. The event will bring together Presidents, Prime Ministers, global technology leaders, policymakers, innovators, and industry stakeholders to deliberate on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across governance, industry, and sustainable development.
A Global Stage in the Global South
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being hosted at Bharat Mandapam, which has increasingly emerged as India’s premier venue for high-level international gatherings.
Ahead of the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi welcomed global delegates, highlighting India’s progress in science and technology.
“It is a matter of immense pride for us that people from all over the world are coming to India for the India AI Impact Summit. This also shows the capability of our country’s youth. This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology and is making an important contribution to global development,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.
The summit underscores India’s ambition to position itself not merely as a consumer of AI technologies, but as a global architect of inclusive, responsible, and sovereign AI frameworks.
AI as the New Industrial Era
Among the prominent voices at the summit is Jay Puri, Executive Vice President of Nvidia, who described the moment as transformative for the global technology ecosystem.
“We are at the beginning of a new industrial era, one that will be shaped by AI. The future of AI will be global, but it will also be deeply local. And it’s inspiring to see India playing such a key role in shaping that future.”
Puri emphasised India’s strengths—its vast developer base, thriving startup ecosystem, and digital ambition—stating that the country has the scale and talent required to lead in this era.
“We are here to collaborate with the government, industry, startups and academia to help build and scale AI that drives real economic growth and meaningful societal impact.”
India’s Vision: Inclusive and Sovereign AI
At the heart of the summit lies India’s vision of “sovereign AI”—developing indigenous capabilities in AI infrastructure, compute, models, and governance frameworks, while ensuring ethical deployment and inclusive access.
The gathering will feature discussions on AI in public service delivery, climate resilience, healthcare innovation, digital governance, and sustainable economic growth.
For New Delhi, hosting the summit represents both diplomatic and technological positioning. It reflects India’s intent to lead conversations on AI governance in the Global South—ensuring that emerging economies shape the future of artificial intelligence rather than merely adapt to it.
With Bill Gates, global industry leaders, and heads of state in attendance, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 signals that the AI discourse is no longer confined to Silicon Valley or Beijing—it is increasingly global, and India intends to be at the forefront of that transformation.
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